The holiday shopping season is underway in downtown Oakland, supporting Black entrepreneurs at the Blackout Holiday Market.
Latoyya Bordelon has traveled to over 40 countries picking out fabric and turning it into unique clothing representing cultures from all over the world.
“Each piece of clothing, when you put it on, I want you to feel like your best version of yourself and I want you to walk through the world that way,” said Latoyya Bordelon, owner of African Violet Fashion.
The designer is one of more than 50 small business owners selling at the market, now in its third year.
Market co-founder Janay Masters owns Hella Plants Market.
“Hella, like a lot,” said Masters, whose business is rooted in Oakland and is growing a love of plants across the Bay Area and as far away as Ghana.
“We decided that you know we needed a space, for us, by us, and so we created the blackout market, …